न तदस्ति पृथिव्यां वा दिवि देवेषु वा पुनः।सत्त्वं प्रकृतिजैर्मुक्तं यदेभिः स्यात्ित्रभिर्गुणैः।।18.40।।
ब्राह्मणक्षत्रियविशां शूद्राणां च परंतप।कर्माणि प्रविभक्तानि स्वभावप्रभवैर्गुणैः।।18.41।।
शमो दमस्तपः शौचं क्षान्तिरार्जवमेव च।ज्ञानं विज्ञानमास्तिक्यं ब्रह्मकर्म स्वभावजम्।।18.42।।
शौर्यं तेजो धृतिर्दाक्ष्यं युद्धे चाप्यपलायनम्।दानमीश्वरभावश्च क्षात्रं कर्म स्वभावजम्।।18.43।।
कृषिगौरक्ष्यवाणिज्यं वैश्यकर्म स्वभावजम्।परिचर्यात्मकं कर्म शूद्रस्यापि स्वभावजम्।।18.44।।
There is no entity in the world, nor among the gods in heaven, that can be free from these three gunas born of Nature.
O scorcher of enemies, the duties of the Brahmanas, Ksatriyas, Vaisyas, and Sudras have been fully classified according to the gunas born from Nature.
The natural duties of the Brahmanas are the control of the internal and external organs, austerity, purity, forgiveness, straightforwardness, knowledge, as well as wisdom [Knowledge refers to the understanding of subjects presented by the scriptures; wisdom means making them matters of one’s own experience.], and faith.
The natural duties of the Ksatriyas are heroism, boldness, fortitude, capability, and not retreating from battle, generosity, and lordliness.
The natural duties of the Vaisyas are agriculture, cattle-rearing, and trading. The natural duty of the Sudras, too, is in the form of service.
Osho’s Commentary
No being on earth or in heaven is free from these three gunas. All are under their sway. And the duties of the four varnas are distributed according to the qualities born of their own nature. This is not a system of social hierarchy, my friend. It is a profound psychological classification. The Brahmin is one whose nature is sattvic. His natural work is that of the mind, of the spirit—serenity, knowledge, wisdom. The Kshatriya is one whose nature is rajasic. His natural work is that of power, of action—heroism, leadership, generosity. The Vaishya is one in whom rajas and tamas are mixed. His natural work is production, trade. And the Shudra is one whose nature is tamasic. His natural work is that of service. To follow one’s own intrinsic nature is swadharma. To try to be someone else is to create conflict and misery. Find your own unique quality, and let your life be a flowering of that quality.